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Letter from Mary E. Blanchard to Benjamin Seaver, 4 June 1854

I have so much to tell you
I hardly know where to begin. I duly received
your kind letter of the 15th & 17th May, and am
much obliged for it. You must enjoy very
much seeing so many places of interest.

On Tuesday last I went to the Asylum, and
made Mother a short visit, she seemed
very glad to see me. I went into the garden
and met her there unexpectedly to her.
She talked a great deal about you, and
read over to me two or three times your
letter, which she carries about with her always.
I stayed with her about 3/4 of an hour, and
then left, because that Fanny whom I had
left with Aunt Emily, was impatient to come
home. I told Mother I would bring Fanny to
see her the next time. Miss Lane has gone
over to the Appleton building to take care
of Mrs Frothingham who is still very sick.
Miss Barber says that Mother likes the atten-
dant who is now with her but that probably
Miss Lane will go back again bye & bye.
Miss Barber asked me to get a shawl for
Mother, which I did, and I have also purchased
a bonnet, for I observed that hers was

very old-fashioned. The bills I sent to Mr
Lincoln, and he has sent me the money
for them. William Bradley is much
better, but will remain at the Asylum
through the summer. I have seen him
twice. Mr Appleton's son Frank who went
to
Somerville a short time since, died
last week at the Asylum.

William called upon Mr Curtis and
Mr
Blake and delivered the messages you
sent. Mr C met with an accident last
week, he was thrown from his chaise
and broke his leg, but is, I believe doing
well. Mr. Allen, formerly a paper dealer
on
Washington Street was president of the
Cochituate Bank. The Globe bank are
going to tear down the building which
they occupy, and the one adjoining, and
put up a new building.

The Unitarian festival took place last Tuesday,
and went off very well I believe. Mayor
Smith made a speech on the occasion.
I see by the paper that the Mayor presided
at a Temperance meeting last week, and
advocated the Maine Liquor law. Since
I wrote you, Mr Sherburn Sup of the Commission
has been turned out of office, and I suppose
a "Know Nothing" man put in, for the opinion
seems to be, that that party have the rule.
We are all very well and Mr Otis family

are all
with us now, as they were obliged to
leave their house. Aunt Emily is visiting
Mrs Wheelwright now, but is going to
Vermont
this week.

The last week will long be remembered as
a sad one by the citizens of
Boston, foras the
account which I commenced of the fugitive
slave affair in last Sunday's letter, was
only the beginning of difficulties. Many
times have we rejoiced that you were
not in
Boston, in the capacity of Mayor.
The trial was continued on Monday and
Tuesday & Wednesday, and each day the
excitement increased, and crowds collected
around the
Court House, and soldiers &
Marines were inside the building to protect
it. Judge Loring then said, that his decision
would be given on Friday. The slave's council
endeavored to prove that he was in
Boston the
1st of March, on the other hand the Master and
his witness, swore to his running away on
the 27th inst, and also to his identity.
On Friday at ten o'clock the judge gave his
decision in favor of the claimant, and im-
mediately preparations were begun for taking
him away. A steamer was in readiness at
L wharf, and the Mayor ordered out all
the State military and police force, and
gave General Edmands discretionary powers
to keep the peace of the city. From ten o'clock

till three, the
streets from the wharf to the
Court House were lined with military, and
State street during all that time was im-
passable, so that businesstherewasnecessa-rilysuspended. In the centre of a hollow
square formed of volunteers, about 200, all
the worst blacklegs and pimps of the city, walked
the slave, a good looking fellow. Each one
of these men had a drawn sword, or knife.
Several companies of soldiers marched
before and behind, and the Artillery had
a six pound cannon all loaded.
This procession was witnessed by thousands
of spectators, and was every where greeted with
hisses and shouts. Many of the buildings
were draped with black, and the Common-
wealth building put out a black coffin
with the word Liberty upon it. An
effort was made during the week to purchase
the slave, and the money 1200 dolls raised,
but when it was offered Capt Suttle refused
it. One of the police officers Mr J K Hayes
resigned his office, on receiving orders to be
one of that procession. Much blame is put
upon the Mayor for blockading the streets,
and putting the City under military law.
I see that five of the Aldermen have pub-
lished a letter saying that they did
not advise, but on the contrary discouraged
it. But Mr Otis thinks that unless all
that precaution had been taken, the

public feeling is such, that the
slave would
have been rescued. I do not know the
time when there has been so much ex-
citement, almost all are unanimous in
feelings of indignation, and mortification,
and humiliation. It is a very hard strug-
gle to keep faith with those, who have just
broken faith with us. I suppose the South
will consider it a great victory. Some
of the abolitionists were on the watch, all
the time to get hold of Capt Suttle and
his friend, and tar and feather them,
but they were too shrewd for them.
Theodore Parker of course preached amade
some very
severe remarks last Sunday, and was
to preach today on the subject. He last
Sunday denounced Judge Loring, and
wound up his remarks, by charging him
with the murder of the police man, and
the risk of the lives of the twelve men, who
were arrested as ringleaders in the riot.
Today Dr Putnam gave us a some
remarks on the subject, and spoke most
eloquently. He said it was the darkest
week in our history, and we needed
more than ever the Sunday's rest and
quiet. He said that now is no time,
while there are so many revengeful and
excited feelings in the breast, to view the
matter in its proper light, and decide

upon our duty in the future,
but
prayed most earnestly, that we might
be strengthened for the duties or trials
which are before us. He also prayed
that our rulers might repent of their
sins, and have a change of heart.
Mr P then said he did not dare to
trust himself to preach on the subject,
and could not write on any other the past week so
he made some very fine remarks upon
the Sabbath rest and influence.
One of the lessons of today was, that we
must remember that when our earthly
rulers prove faithless, we have an Eternal
one who never faileth, and many other
similar appropriate remarks.

[Written from bottom to top in the left-hand margin of this
page:] The papers say that this slave affair will cost over 30,000
dollars.

[The following lines continue the text on the main part of this page:
] There is a petition now in the Merchants
Exchange for a repeal of the Fugitive
Slave law, which has been signed by
very many of the leading merchants of
Boston. Strange to say the weather
during the past week has been pleasant
every day and I believe the Anniversary
meetings went off very harmoniously.
Frank of course is in a great state of excitement about the
slave affair.

Please remember me kindly to Mr Rich.
I called to see his wife the other day,
she told me that Aunt Charlotte told
her, that you were going to the sea

shore to stay with her on your
return.
Now I do not like that arrangement at all.
We shall depend upon your coming to stay
with us, during the warm weather at least,
for afterwhen the Otis go up to the Lake, Mother
will go with them, so that we shall be quite
alone.

Monday evening. Lucy Williams was here today
and says that Mrs Frothingham died yester-
day afternoon. It is sad indeed. The Mr Appleton who
died, is the one who
has been at the Asylum for a long time.
The other one has recovered and left.
Aunt Emily was at
Somerville today.
Mother is as well as usual, and William
Bradley quite nicely.

There has been quite a riot in
Brooklyn
between the Irish and Americans, about
some street preaching, in which some lives
were lost. I suppose Frank will tell you
all about it.

Fanny improves daily in her talking, she
can now say "dan-pa" very nicely.
Uncle George's family, and the folks at
Brookline are all well. The cheeses you
sent us are very nice. I do not like
it quite as well as the Stilton, which

we used to have. Capt
Brown purchased the
Chedder cheeses. Uncle George sent one
to Mr Stevens. The We have saved two
papers containing accounts of the slave
affair, for you to read on your return--
The Courier and the Transcript-- The ex-
citement extends all around in
Massa-
chusetts, and in various towns the bells
were tolled. The weather has been very
pleasant for the last week or two, though
we need rain much. Mother, Aunt Emily
and the Otis desire to be kindly remembered.

I have not yet received a visit from
Charles, but perhaps he will come on when
you return to meet you.

With a great deal of love from William
and myself, I am Ever Yr Affect daughter

Mary E Blanchard

[Postscript]

P When Charles Jewett asked Charles to
assist at his wedding, he said he
would if he was not in
Boston!